I feel like there is a sense that the empire is barbaric or overtly brutal, but I do not get that sense at all from watching the films. Evil? Yes. But the empire is "lawful evil" not "chaotic evil."

I suspect that even if people are sentenced to death unjustly, that there is still some kind of administrative process that Palpatine would enforce.

Furthermore, if the empire didn't enforce civilized laws upon its citizens, then the emtire society would devolve into chaos/anarchy. So something like murder is unqustionably illegal in the empire, and would be investigated by whatever authorities were responsible for law enforcement in the juridiction.

The distinction may be semantical, but I would say the the "empire" does not "officially" murder anyone, but rather carries out (unjust) executions according to imperial law, even if they have to fabricate the charges ("the Jedi are taking over!!!!").

I get the feeling that good and evil are a matter of perspective in the SW universe. What some people consider evil is considered the normal good and vice versa. It is no different than certain events in the world today where one country claims to be the liberator and frees a country only to set up a brutal regime in its place. I tend to think most citizens were not treated horribly under the Empire or there would have been more than just the uprisings that were scattered across the galaxy.

But then after the destruction of Alderaan I can see worlds becoming fearful. Did Alderaan get destroyed by a super weapon? Were they developing their own super weapon? Propaganda is a mighty thing when used correctly to sway the minds of the people.

I agree with your thought that the Empire doesn't murder anyone. They use the law to justly execute it in an expeditious way. And if there are casualties they should have not been on the wrong side of the law.

I would tend to disagree that the definition of evil depends on a "point of view." Now, I do agree that individuals will occupy varying positions on the spectrum when it comes to how black and white they view the universe and any kind of universal (or not) morality.

However, I think that evil in SW is very clearly defined, and the struggle of definitive good versus definitive evil is the very crux of the SW story. However, the dark side (which essentially personifies "evil" or "temptation") is seductive, and can make what is evil appear to be good, if only an individual will compromise here and there (incrementally) for the "greater good."

In other words, the first step on the path toward pure evil is to accept the fallacy that the ends justify the means.

In other words, the first step on the path toward pure evil is to accept the fallacy that the ends justify the means.

So what you are saying is that once someone starts down a dark path, then it might dominate their destiny. Possibly forever. _________________"The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."

In other words, the first step on the path toward pure evil is to accept the fallacy that the ends justify the means.

So what you are saying is that once someone starts down a dark path, then it might dominate their destiny. Possibly forever.

Considering that a little green imp with a penchant for occasionally trolling his students was the one who came up with that particular idea, one has to wonder about the veracity of that concept.

Then again, while Yoda was a troll sometimes, he was never an outright liar.

But yeah, the SWU has, for the most part, always been a rather black-and-white universe, though one can see the grey in it without too much trouble. And the grey becomes even more visible when you consider that many Rebels were former Imperials who decided to defect when they decided that the Empire's tyranny was just as bad as the anarchy they were trying to defeat by joining the Empire in the first place._________________Sutehp's RPG Goodies
Only some of it is for D6 Star Wars.
Just repurchased the X-Wing and Tie Fighter flight sim games. I forgot how much I missed them.